Pumpkins

For the Anything Muppets pattern, see Pumpkin.

A pumpkin is a type of a squash, usually orange, associated with the Fall harvest. Often people make pumpkins into pies or soups, or for seasonal decorations (for jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween or, with other gourds, at Thanksgiving). Occasionally fairy godmothers will turn one into a coach so a girl can attend a royal ball.

A pair of Muppet pumpkins appeared on Muppets Tonight in 1997 as members of The Smashing Pumpkins. In 2009, the pumpkins attempt to elude the Swedish Chef's attempts to make jack-o'-lanterns out of them in the 2009 Haunted Holidays sketch "Cårven Der Pümpkîn" (with one performed by Dave Goelz). The taller of the two pumpkins later appeared in Muppets Haunted Mansion once again fleaing a chainsaw weilding Swedish Chef at the Muppets' Halloween party (performed by Alex Villa).

The shorter of the two pumpkin puppets appeared in the 2004 Sesame Street video A Magical Halloween Adventure performed by David Rudman. He talks about what to do with pumpkins and shows a film about two kids, Jared and Chase, carving and painting pumpkins with their parents to Elmo, Telly, and Zoe.

A different Sesame Street pumpkin puppet had been used as early as 1995, when Prairie Dawn interviews the pumpkin from Cinderella (along with other fairy tale produce) in an installment of "Fairy Tales Today." (First: Episode 3382)

In an introductory video on Sesamestreet.org for Halloween, Zoe dressed up as a pumpkin for a segment, actually becoming the pumpkin puppet.

Abby's poor magic skills often cause her to accidentally conjure up pumpkins or turn people and things into them, such as making friends for Elmo in an insert (First: Episode 4181) and turning a mailbox into one in another (First: Episode 4136). Johnny Galecki appeared in a segment in Episode 4261 where he explained the Word of the Day "transform" with Abby Cadabby, only to become a pumpkin himself. In another sketch in Episode 4141, Abby tries to turn a glass of milk into a pumpkin. It doesn't work on the milk but on an elephant, and Abby uses her magic to turn him back.